Today’s Thought “God’s servant will succeed! He will be raised up, exalted, highly honoured!” (Weekend of 2020 June 27-28)

In today’s chapter from the Book of Isaiah, we hear about a servant who shall deal prudently, though would be exalted and extolled, and be very high. We have a twofold aspect of Messiah in sufferings and glory.

“ Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Like as many were astonished at thee (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men), so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they understand.” (Isa 52:13-15 ASV)

From Isaiah’s chapter 41 through this section, Isaiah has in these prophecies, been continually contrasting the “national” servant, Israel, with the “individual” servant, the promised Messiah, much to the discredit of the former. Israel the multitudinous servant has been called to an honourable position of service, but has despised the privilege and failed miserably (Isaiah 41:8; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1,21; 43:4; 43:20).

That individual servant would accomplish what the national “Servant” could not. Through him the works of the Father, the greatest of which is the redemption and glorification of a portion of mankind, will be accomplished.

In accordance with the words that came out of Isaiah, words written more than seven hundred years before their completion, Jesus of Nazareth, this man who proved himself to be the servant of Jehovah par excellence, was supremely high; but only after having suffered the most painful ignominy on the stake. Then, he was preached among the peoples, even among those who had never heard of him, and many kings worshipped him as their Lord and God. But they all should come to know that he is the servant of God, the sent one from God, who was willing to do that what God requested or expected from him.

That coming Messiah would suffer like Hezekiah had, but would go further totally managing to do the Will of God and to overcome the power of the grave by faith in his God, Who also should be the God of all nations. And those nations would be inhabited by people who have made themselves their own gods. But by that son of man shall come the deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry. The chains around their neck shall be taken away. Whilst God His Name would always be insulted, daily, to that there shall come an end. Because people shall come to know the Most High, Whom Who Is, the “I Am that I Am“, the heavenly Father of that sent servant.

It was the priests and the Levites, whose office it was to carry the vessels of the temple. They are told “be ye clean” by separating themselves wholly from Babylonian idolaters. This is certainly a lesson that we must apply to our lives.

“ Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; cleanse yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah.” (Isa 52:11 ASV)

Henceforth, all people are requested to go out of “Babylon” the whore. We all have to leave the false churches and the pagan groups or denominations. In the world there have always been groups which said they were honouring God, but they did so many things against the Will and Law of God. The world its organisations and doctrines and titles have been defiled with human doctrines. Al through Scriptures we can find warnings not to become contaminated with them but to reject them. When we find ourselves caught up in such groups or churches we have to go out and leave all unclean things. And we should not wait to long, because it can well be, when we wait to leave them, that we would be too late.

“ Watch therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning;” (Mr 13:35 ASV)

“ But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when ye have devoted it, ye take of the devoted thing; so would ye make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.” (Jos 6:18 ASV)

“ when I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonish mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” (Jos 7:21 ASV)

In heart, mind, character, in the doctrine (vessel) we follow and teach, we should be as clean as God’s servant Christ. As Christians, we should be followers of that Nazarene master teacher and like him follow God’s word, clean from error, and organisations and wrong practices.

`Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’

God does not want His priests to serve Baal (a type of the services and mammon worship in the nominal church, especially Papacy).

“ But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord Jehovah: they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.” (Eze 44:15-16 ASV)

All who may have been in captivity to Babylon in any form are called to arise and depart, shaking loose the bonds of their captivity.

Let us follow the servant of God who is the way to God. Let us give him the right honour by recognising what he really did, trusting God in such a way that he dared to give his life as a ransom for the sins of the world. Before God, that man of flesh and blood grew up like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He was not well-formed or especially handsome; but many could see him though his appearance did not attract them.

“ For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isa 53:2 ASV)

People despised and avoided that man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, who offered himself to God to be His servant, doing His Will. Like all people he too was a man of pains, well acquainted with illness. Like someone from whom people turn their faces, he was despised; the Jews and people around him at that time not valuing him.

“ He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.” (Isa 53:3 ASV)

For nothing, that servant was sold (40 shekels – a lot of money – , which the betrayer threw away after Jesus was captured). Without money, but by his blood we became redeemed.

“ For thus saith Jehovah, Ye were sold for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” (Isa 52:3 ASV)

And those coming under the wings of that servant shall be like God’s set apart (or holy) people.

“ Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness.” (Isa 1:27 ASV)

“ And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken.” (Isa 62:12 ASV)

“ I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts.” (Isa 45:13 ASV)

Jesus shall build that new world and in him a new people shall grow. One day the city of the Holy Land shall be known by many as the place of the seat of Christ his kingdom.

For years God’s people have been trampled. God’s people have been taken away for nothing several times. Lots of people have followed their rulers and done like them, having mocked God’s people, constantly blaspheming the Name of the Divine Creator and Supreme Deity.

“ Now therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.” (Isa 52:5 ASV)

Now it’s also time that God’s people and others around them know who He is and comes to know that faithful servant of the Highest. Because the day shall arrive that the Messiah shall reveal himself. Whilst it might well be that it will not be until that day, that Israel’s obstinate unbelief shall be overcome.

“ And the chieftains of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Jehovah of hosts their God.” (Zec 12:5 ASV)

“ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.” (Zec 12:10 ASV)

“ And ye shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with thee.” (Zec 14:5 ASV)

Looking forward to that day to come, let us be prepared and let us have chosen the right group of people to be associated with. The people of Jehovah are urged to leave Babylon (under the protection of Cyrus) and return home before she is destroyed. Likewise, the people of Jehovah are later urged to leave spiritual Babylon (under the protection of Christ) and return home (to the Truth) before she is destroyed.

“ And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:” (Re 18:4 ASV)

Preceding

Servant of his Father

Today’s thought “The eyes of man are never satisfied” (April 17)

Today’s Thought “The servant, His chosen one, whom God supports and in whom God takes pleasure.” (June 18)

Today’s Thought “Given for a light to the Gentile” (June 24)

Today’s Thought “God’s salvation shall be for ever, and His righteousness shall not be abolished” (June 26)

Today’s thought “Word of the Only One God – To be read and listened at” (November 21)